Clam shell bucket



June 19, 1951 T. J. SIMANEK CLAM SHELL BUCKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1949 IN VENTOR ATTORNEYS T. J- SIMANEK CLAM SHELL BUCKET June 19, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1949 my M L INVENTOR JZ'JSimanek ATTOH NEYS G Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT orFlcE 1 Claim This invention relates to bucket construction for such heavy equipment as a steam shovel or the like.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved clam shell bucket construction hydraulically operated, that will cause the bucket to dig more deeply and efiiciently than has heretofore been the case.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a clam shell bucket formed in accordance with the invention, a steam shovel on which said bucket is mounted being illustrated more or less diagrammatically.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the bucket.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig.2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, I have illustrated at I a steam shovel of conventional design, and it will be understood that the showing of said shovel is more or less diagrammatic. The clam shell bucket of the invention can, in fact, be mounted on any suitable type of heavy equipment and the illustrated steam shovel is merely by way of illustration, to show one example of a machine on which the bucket can be mounted.

In any event, the steam shovel I is equipped with the usual boom 2 pivoted at its lower end as at 3, and I have also illustrated diagrammatically a fluid supply tank or reservoir l adjacent which is the hydraulic pump 5, and from the tank extends the fluid line 6 passing through the pump 5, and through any suitable control I located where it will be readily accessible to the operator of the machine.

Extending from the machine I is a hoisting line 8 which, as usual, passes over a pulley at the top or free end of the boom 2, and this hoisting line is connected as at 9 to a cross member I to the ends of which are connected the support lines II extending downwardly from said cross member and pivotally connected at I2 to a sliding block I3 mounted for vertical sliding movement upon a center beam I4 having at its lower end the bearing I through which extends the shaft I6 the opposite ends of which provide pivotal mountings for the arms I8 of a pair of clam shell buckets I9.

To the upper ends of the clam shell buckets I9 there are pivotally connected as at 20 the lower ends of brace bars 2I which may be equipped with branch braces 22, said brace bars 2i being pivotally connected at their upper ends, as at 23, to the sliding block [3. Also pivotally connected at 23 to the sliding block are the upper ends of other braces 24 also pivotally connected at their lower ends to the top edges of the clam shell buckets I9.

Rigidly secured to the upper end of the center beam I4 are the opposite pairs of ears 25 providing means for pivotal attachment to the beam of the upper ends of hydraulic casings 26 in which reciprocate the pistons Z'l pivotally connected at their lower ends, as at 23, to the respective clam shell buckets. The casings 28 and pistons 21 provide hydraulic rams actuable through the branch fluid lines 39 diverging from the common fluid supply line 29 that extends from the control l.

The operation of the clam shell bucket formed in accordance with the invention will, it is thought, be readily understood. The bucket is dropped in open position, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, in the usual manner into the excavation E or other location at which the digging operation is to be performed, and when the bucket has been positioned in this manner, fluid pressure is applied through the common feed line 29, feeding equally to the respective hydraulic rams. The rams elongate, pressing the center beam I l upwardly while forcing the clam shell buckets I9 downwardly, thus causing the clam shell buckets to dig deeply into the surface of the excavation. As will be understood, the forcing of the center beam upwardly through the sliding block [3 elevates the shaft I6 which, in conjunction with the downward pressure exerted against the outer portions of the respective buckets, causes the buckets no close.

What is claimed is:

In a clam shell bucket construction a single, vertically extending center beam; a horizontal shaft journaled at its center in the lower end of the beam; bucket sections having their respective side walls pivotally connected to the respective ends of the shaft, the beam being centered between said side walls; a block having a center opening receiving the beam whereby the block is mounted for up-and-down sliding movement upon said beam; a plurality of braces pivot- 3 ally connected at their upper ends to the opposite ends of the block and at their lower ends to the respective bucket sections; a single lifting cable connected to and extending upwardly from said block; hydraulic cylinders pivotally connected at their upper ends to the upper end of the center beam at diametrically opposite locations on the beam; and hydraulic rams slidable in said cylinders and pivotally connected at their lower ends to the center portions of the outer walls of the respective bucket sections, the cylinder and ram associated with each bucket extending in a straight line between the upper end of the beam and the outer wall of the associated bucket in all relative positions of the buckets and beam.

THOMAS J. SIMANEK.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

